Breaking Records- Healing Scars Single
by StormWolf10
Summary: Seventh in the Breaking Records series. Jack and the Doctor are finally back in America, heading to see Rose in hospital. However, in the cab on the way to the hospital, the Doctor receives a phone call. One that could make or break his future with Rose...


**A/N: I'm not going to lie. This is angsty, angsty, angsty! But reviews are much appreciated, and the series hasn't yet finished :)**

The Doctor swore under his breath as he twisted awkwardly in the seat of the taxi, trying to extract his mobile from the pocket of his trousers. He and Jack were in a taxi, cruising through the streets of LA to visit Rose in hospital. The taxi driver didn't seem to be in a hurry, and the traffic wasn't helping matters, but all the Doctor and Jack wanted to do was get to the hospital to see their friend.

"Pete?" the Doctor answering, finally managing to pull his phone from the pocket and answer the incoming call.

"Theta! Thank god I was able to get hold of you!" Pete sighed in relief.

As Pete hurried to explain what was going on, Jack strained to listen. The Doctor was looking happier and happier as the conversation went on, and he was soon smiling, but made no move to tell Jack what was going on. Jack hit the Doctor on the arm, gesturing furiously at himself to try and get the Doctor to tell him what was happening, but the Doctor merely frowned at him and continued talking to Pete.

"Ok… Ok, yeah… Yeah, sure, Pete, I'll let Jack know… Yeah, we're on our way now, we're in a taxi… See you soon."

The Doctor then quickly hung up, taking a deep breath before turning to Jack.

"Well?" Jack prompted worriedly.

The Doctor suddenly grinned.

"Rose is awake!"

**~StormWolf10~**

The rest of the taxi drive was just as slow, but this time it was because they were so eager to see Rose. At least they knew Rose would be awake and on the road to recovery when they did finally get to see her, and they'd phoned Donna to let her know Rose was awake. Pete had explained that she'd only woken up about half an hour or so before he'd phoned, and he and Jackie had been so preoccupied with trying to get Rose comfy and explaining to her what had happened that he'd forgotten to phone sooner. Both the Doctor and Jack were fully aware that Rose would be undergoing several tests and scans to determine how far the coma had helped her recover, and if there would be any lasting problems from the crash.

"At least we know she's awake and ok now." Jack piped up suddenly, interrupting the silence.

"Yeah." The Doctor replied, grinning "Yeah."

Jack glanced sideways at his friend, watching as the Doctor fingered his new tattoo, smiling fondly.

"You can show Rose your tattoo, too." Jack continued with a grin "And you can tell her how you feel."

The Doctor nodded again, and his face suddenly paled, eyes widening.

"How do I do that?" the Doctor asked Jack, perplexed.

Jack chuckled slightly, shaking his head.

"Theta, it'll be fine! This is Rose we're talking about!" Jack told him.

"Exactly! _Rose_!" the Doctor replied, still wide-eyed.

"Just tell her, Theta! Not immediately, of course, and not in front of Jackie and Pete preferably. I've never told anyone I loved them, but if I did, it would be in private." Jack announced with a shrug.

"Should I get her something?" the Doctor asked suddenly "You know, chocolates, or flowers, or something?"

"Theta," Jack pointed out calmly "Rose has been in a coma for months. I doubt she's eating much solid food, let alone chocolate."

The Doctor nodded, realising.

"Flowers, then?" he asked.

Jack thought for a moment or two.

"Yeah, flowers might be nice." Jack agreed after a while.

**~StormWolf10~**

Fortunately, there was a small shop in the hospital where the Doctor was managed to purchase some flowers. He wasn't entirely sure what they were, but they were a nice, bright yellow and looked cheery enough, which was more than could be said for the Doctor. As they reached closer to the Intensive Care Unit Rose was on, the more the Doctor's hands shook. Finally, they were outside the ward, and Jack squeezed his friend's shoulder reassuringly.

"It's going to be fine, Theta." Jack assured him with a smile.

The Doctor smiled back shakily, taking a deep breath before pressing the buzzer. A nurse in blue scrubs came over and opened the door, looking at the pair of them, arms folded.

"Can I help you?" the nurse asked, her eyebrow arched.

"We're looking for Rose Tyler? I believe her parents informed you we'd be coming." Jack announced smoothly, smiling.

Immediately, the nurse's stern gaze softened, and she nodded, stepping back to let them into the ward.

"Room ten, just down there on the left." The nurse told them, shutting the door once they'd entered the ward.

The Doctor and Jack nodded in thanks, and they set off down the corridor. When they reached room 10, they found it empty except for Pete, who appeared to be dozing. The Doctor knocked hesitantly on the door, and Pete jerked awake.

"Theta! Jack! You're here!" Pete announced with a smile upon seeing them in the doorway.

Almost immediately, he was on his feet, shaking their hands warmly.

"Yeah. Where's Rose?" the Doctor asked worriedly, noting how the bed was missing from the room.

"Oh, they've taken her for a few tests." Pete explained calmly, smiling reassuringly "Jackie went with her. They've been gone for about half hour now, they should be back soon."

The Doctor nodded, letting out a breath and making his way over to sit in a chair.

"What, err, should I do with these flowers?" he asked suddenly, looking at Pete as he raised the hand clutching the flowers.

"Oh, I'll see if a nurse has a vase we can put them in." Pete told him, making to take the flowers "Rose will love these."

The Doctor smiled nervously, nodding.

"Well, that's the hope, anyway." The Doctor replied.

Pete grinned, and it was then that he noticed the new tattoo on the Doctor's arm. He didn't mention it, but both the Doctor and Jack saw him looking.

"So," Jack piped up suddenly with a warm smile "how's Rose?"

"Awake." Pete replied with a relieved smile "She's been talking away since she woke up. They reckon she won't be eating proper meals for a few weeks yet, but she had some soup earlier, and seemed alright."

**~StormWolf10~**

By the time Rose and Jackie arrived back, the Doctor had been sent down to the hospital canteen to get tea for everyone. He'd been getting so antsy that Pete and Jack had instead sent him on the errand, hoping he'd run off some of that nervous energy. Jack had immediately set off to track down the Doctor and bring him back to see Rose. It took no less than ten minutes, and when Jack found the Doctor, he'd just payed for the takeaway teas.

"I didn't get Rose one, I wasn't sure if she could have one. If she wants, she can share mine." The Doctor announced.

He then faltered at seeing Jack's wide-eyed expression.

"What's wrong? Is it Rose? What's happened?" the Doctor asked quickly, beginning to panic.

"Theta! Theta, everything's fine! She's back! Rose is back!" Jack explained quickly, grinning.

The Doctor gaped for a few moments, then looked down at the four cups of tea. Sensing his dilemma, Jack moved to take the drinks from his friend.

"Go on. You run ahead. I'll follow with the drinks." Jack told him calmly.

Almost as soon as Jack took the drinks from him, the Doctor was off. And run he did. He didn't bother waiting for the lift, he took the stairs, three at a time, narrowly avoiding medical staff and patients alike. Soon, the Doctor was outside the doors of the ICU, buzzing impatiently to be let into the ward. As soon as a nurse opened the door, he was inside, hurrying for room ten. The Doctor had barely stepped into the room when Rose pushed herself into a sitting position, a relieved smile on her face. She was dressed in a hospital gown, and her hair needed a brush, but the Doctor didn't care. She was awake, smiling at him, and that's all he cared about.

"Rose." He murmured, a smile beginning to spread across his face.

"Doctor!" Rose grinned at him.

Almost immediately, the Doctor's smile faded, much to Rose's, Jackie's and Pete's confusion.

"Doctor?" Rose asked quietly, hurt.

"I… I just have to…" the Doctor murmured, gesturing over his shoulder vaguely, beginning to back out of the door.

And then the Doctor was fleeing. Down the corridor, out of the ward, his feet carrying him god-knows-where as he desperately tried to put more and more distance between himself and Rose. He hated himself for doing this, he hated himself for running. But he couldn't help it. Hurrying past the lifts, he passed a confused Jack, but the Doctor ignored his friend as he called after him in confusion. He kept walking, his feet taking him down more and more corridors until he was surely lost. His hand went to the pocket of his trousers, fisting round a piece of paper. Frowning slightly, the Doctor pulled it out, unfolding it. Oh. It had been from the flight over, a scrap of paper he'd been doodling on, drafting a song. The title simply read _'Healing Scars'_, an idea for a new single. As the Doctor read over the lyrics he'd written, he drew in a shuddering breath, willing the tears back. It had seemed that the random song lyrics he'd written hours before had come back to haunt him. _'I'll try my best, and I'll never give up, But I don't know if the scars will heal. I'll try my best, and I'll never let you go, But I don't think this heartbreak will stop. Because we're getting better, As the days go by, But we'll always have these healing scars, Till the day we die.' _Finally, the Doctor came to a stop, at the end of a dead-end corridor, leaning on a windowsill, looking out over the hospital grounds.

**~StormWolf10~**

The Doctor lost track of how long he'd been stood there, staring out the window when he heard footsteps coming up behind him, and a hand on his shoulder. He looked round in shock to see Jackie stood there, smiling sadly at him.

"Rose is asking for you." She informed him quietly "She got quite upset that you just ran out on her."

The Doctor sighed, closing his eyes briefly.

"I didn't mean to upset her, Jackie. I really didn't. I swear." He told her quietly, tone imploring her to understand.

"I know, Theta. And I know how you feel about her." Jackie assured the man gently.

"You do?" the Doctor asked in confusion, glancing over to frown at the woman.

Jackie nodded with a small smile.

"You're not exactly subtle. Neither's Rose." Jackie told him.

The Doctor just looked confused at that, and Jackie sighed.

"Look, I'm not going to say too much, because it's up to you two to talk about it." Jackie told him, gazing out the window "But I will say that you have nothing to worry about. When you tell her how you feel."

The Doctor blinked, then sniffed.

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, Jackie." The Doctor announced, feigning ignorance.

Jackie merely arched an eyebrow at him and snorted.

"I know you know exactly what I'm talking about." Jackie announced calmly "And you have mine and Pete's blessing."

The Doctor looked over at Jackie then, shocked.

"Really?" he asked quietly.

Jackie smiled and nodded, and the Doctor grinned, before he recalled what had happened on the ward. What Rose _had called him_. The pair of them sank into silence, remaining that way for almost ten minutes.

"What's wrong, Theta?" Jackie asked eventually, brow furrowed.

The man didn't look round, instead he remained leaning on the window sill, staring out the window.

"She called me 'Doctor', Jackie." He replied eventually, voice quiet.

"And?" Jackie asked, frowning in confusion.

The Doctor sighed, finally looked at her. There was no joy on his face. He was pale, eyes red-rimmed, and he looked exhausted.

"She… Before the accident… She hadn't called me 'Doctor' for months."


End file.
